HPD: Bank workers rescued woman being scammed

Updated 10:24 pm, Friday, August 22, 2014

Workers at this Wells Fargo branch along the 3800 block of Westheimer led police to three suspected swindlers accused of scamming a woman out of hundreds of dollars.

Workers at this Wells Fargo branch along the 3800 block of Westheimer led police to three suspected swindlers accused of scamming a woman out of hundreds of dollars.

HPD: Bank workers rescued woman being scammed

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Police are crediting quick-thinking bank employees for the arrest of three people accused of swindling a woman out of hundreds of dollars.

The trio - a man and two women - are accused of forcing the woman to pay for nonexistent repairs to her car.

About 5:30 p.m. Friday, they flagged down a woman in an older model Chevrolet Cavalier at a red light along Wesleyan near Westheimer.

"They said, 'Your wheel is damaged. We can fix it for you.' But, as soon as he touched the car, he said, 'You owe us some money,' " said Houston police Sgt. G.R. Henson.

The woman handed over almost $300 - all the money she had - but that wasn't enough, Henson said.

The woman told them she had more money in her bank account. They agreed to follow her to a nearby Wells Fargo branch along the 3800 block of Westheimer.

HPD officials said bank tellers were suspicious and called police.

"They did a good job realizing she was in trouble," Henson said.

HPD officers arrived and arrested the suspects. They are facing larceny theft charges.

Police also found credit cards and checks in their truck that did not seem to belong to them.

The investigation is continuing, police said.

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